A Constitutive Model For Predicting The Time And Temperature-Moisture-Dependent Behavior Of Nafion Polymers

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a kind of high-performance fuel cell that converts hydrogen energy to electrical energy. As the core component, the proton exchange membrane (PEM) determines the yield strength and influences the performance of the fuel cell. A newly developed constitutive model is developed for predicting the time and temperature-moisture-dependent mechanical behavior. The model is aiming at predicting the stress response of PEM under different strain rates, temperature, and relative humidity. The mechanical behavior of Nafion polymer is tested between 25°C to 80°C, and relative humidity between 30% ~70% through uniaxial tension. Comparing the experimental data with the model prediction shows that the constitutive theory captured the response, especially under different humidity and temperature.